Detector for shuttle



June 20, 1967 AUSLE 3,326,153

DETECTOR FOR SHUTTLE Filed Aug. 18, 1965 INVENTOR LUDW 1e HiiusLE BY awn 4 x? ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,326,153 DETECTOR FOR SHUTTLE Ludwig Hiiusle, Vorarlberg, Austria, assignor to Adolph Saurer Ltd., Arbon, Switzerland Filed Aug. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 480,615

Claims priority, application Austria, Aug. 25, 1964, A 7,336/64 3 Claims. (Cl. 112-95) This invention relates to a detector or sensing means for shuttles of the type which reciprocate along an axis such as those utilized in embroidery machines for providing an indication or sign-a1 when the shuttle thread or back thread is either exhausted or broken.

Detectors for use with shuttles are known; however, these have usually required significant constructional modifications in the shuttle itself and/or to surrounding structure. In addition, they have not had the dual capacity of being able to detect either thread exhaustion or thread breakage. For example, US. Patent No. 2,127,- 182, issued to McCaleb et al, on Aug. 16, 1938, relates to an electrical detector for shuttle thread which requires significant constructional modifications and with the single capacity of detecting only thread exhaustion.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a detector means for shuttle thread for sensing either thread exhaustion or thread breakage.

It is another objectof this invention to provide a detector means for shuttle thread for sensing either thread exhaustion or thread breakage which requires minimum constructional modifications of the machine and none to the shuttle.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a dual shuttle installation with the shuttles and shuttle pin means therefor during upward travel and in an intermediate position between their limits of travel; and

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the shuttles and shuttle pin means therefor during downward movement and in an intermediate position between their limits of travel with one of the shuttles being exhausted of thread.

With reference to the figures there is seen a pair of shuttles 1 and 2 which are movable in a reciprocating manner in guides 7 and 8. The shuttles are adapted to contain a supply of thread indicated by numerals 13 and 14 in the conventional manner. It is to be noted that the term thread is meant to be considered generically herein so as to include yarn or the like.

Cooperating with the shuttles is a shuttle pin means in the form of an upper member 12 having a pair of shuttle slides and 6 thereon and a lower member 18 having a pair of electrically insulated shuttle pins 3 and 4 thereon for cooperating with each of the shuttles 1 and 2, respectively, which will later be described. The shuttle pin means need not be a single rigid unit, but it must be movable as a single unit in a reciprocating manner in order to move the shuttles disposed in guides 7 and 8.

In FIG. 1, the shuttle pin means are shown in a position while moving upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow and in so doing engage the bottom of the shuttles via shuttle pins 3 and -4 in order to move the shuttles therewith as is conventional in the art. It is seen that the spacing between the shuttle pins 3 and 4 relative to the shuttle slides 5 and 6 is greater than the length of the shuttles so that at no time will both the shuttle slides and the shuttle pins engage the shuttles, the significance of which will become apparent later.

In FIG. 2, the shuttles are shown descending after reaching the extent of their upward movement. The shut- 3,326,153- Patented June 20, 1967 tle pin means are seen to be at a lower level than in FIG. 1 since it is the shuttle slide means that normally engage the shuttles for moving them downwardly. This is accomplished via shuttle s ides 5 and 6 if neither the shuttle thread is exhausted nor broken.

The shuttles do not rest upon the shuttle pins 3 and 4 during the downward phase of operation since they are suspended on the shuttle threads. Initial disengagement of the shuttles from the shuttle pins occurs after the limit of their upward travel is reached during which the shuttle pin means begin to descend. In so doing, relative movement occurs between the shuttle pin means and the shuttles due to the suspending action of the shuttle threads upon the shuttles; however, the shuttle slides 5 and 6, upon the shuttle pin means commencing to descend, engage the shuttles and overcome the suspension of the shuttles and move the shuttles downwardly.

Upon the shuttle pin means reaching the end of its downward travel, it begins to reverse direction to again move upwardly. During this interval, the shuttle slides 5 and 6 disengage the shuttles and in continuing upwardly cause the shuttle pins 3 and 4 to engage the shuttles and to move them upwardly once again.

The above-described operation occurs during normal operation of the machine with neither the shuttle thread being broken nor exhausted. However, if either of these situations arise the action is different, which by this invention is immediately sensed and indicated to the operator so that the situation may be rectified.

-If the thread either breaks or becomes exhausted in a shuttle, the action between the shuttles and the shuttle pin means is identical to that described above for normal operation; however, during the downward stroke the shut-' tle thread is no longer able to sustain the shuttle in a position relative to the shuttle pin means such that there is engagement between the shuttle and its respective slider. This condition is exemplified in FIG. 2 where shuttle 2 has its thread exhausted as indicated by numeral 16. It is seen that due to the lack of thread suspension that the shuttle 2 rests against the electrically insulated shuttle pin 4 during this downward movement, whereas shuttle 1 is engaged by the shuttle slide 5 so as to push it downwardly.

The electrically insulated shuttle pins 3 and 4 are insulated from the rest of the machine except for the shuttles and are connected to an electrical conductor 9 having indicator means 10, a circuit breaker 11, and a DC. current source indicated by 17, and which is further provided with connections 19 and 20 to the shuttle guide assemblies.

It is to be understood that although the indicator means 10 has been shown to be an indicator light, any type of conventional indicator may be used such as an ammeter, and audible signal unit including a buzzer, bell or the like. It is also contemplated by this invention that the means 10 may be substituted by conventional means which would function to stop the machine. Although the electrical source is shown to be D.C., it may also be on AC. source as desired and which would perhaps be chosen in accordance with the particular indicator means 10 utilized.

The shuttle pin means 3 and 4, conductor 9, indicator means 10, circuit breaker 11 (when closed), source 17, connections 19 and 20 form in conjunction with the shuttles and the shuttle guide assemblies an electrical circuit with the branches (between elements 3, 1 and 7 and elements 4, 2 and 8) being in parallel.

Considering the circuit breaker to be closed, a closing of the electric circuit will occur and thus actuation of the indicator means whenever a shuttle touches one of the shuttle pins 3 or 4. This situation will arise during normal operation of the machine during the upward movement of the shuttles caused by the movement of the shuttle pin means. A closing of the circuit Will not normally occur during downward movement. However, it will occur during downward movement in case the thread of a particular shuttle is broken or exhausted so that the shuttle touches one of the shuttle pins 3 or 4.

It is thus seen that some means must be provided to prevent the closing of the circuit during the upward movement which would actuate the indicator means and give a meaningless signal. It is for this reason that the circuit breaker 11 is provided which is suitably connected mechanically with the shuttle pin means as shown schematically by numeral 15 such that the contacts thereof will be open during the upward movement of the shuttle pin means and during the period of the upper dead position thereof and will be closed during the downward movement of the shuttle pin means. It is thus seen that the circuit can only be closed during the downward movement of the shuttle pin means and shuttles and only in the case if a shuttle thread is exhausted or broken so that the particular s'huttle touches one of the shuttle pins 3 or 4.

Although there are only two shuttle installations shown it is to be understood that any number may be utilized within the scope of this invention. Further shuttle installations would thus form further parallel branches in the electrical detecting circuit. It should also be understood that this invention is applicable to any machine besides the embroidery type wherein there is a reciprocation of the shuttles.

In addition, it should be noted that instead of a rigid interconnection between the shuttle pin means and the circuit breaker 11, as indicated by numeral 15, any conventional mechanical linkage or other means may be provided for proper synchronization with the shuttles and shuttle pin means. These may include lost motion means such as pin means, slot means, spring means, etc. In general, any conventional means utilized with circuit breakers for synchronizing mechanical motion with the 4 opening and closing of the circuit breaker contacts may be utilized.

Also, it is contemplated that insulated contacts could be placed in the shuttle guides for contact with the shuttles.

I claim:

1. In an embroidery shuttle assembly of a textile machine having a shuttle, said shuttle supplying thread, shuttle guide means for said shuttle, shuttle pin means reciprocating said shuttle in said shuttle guide means in a vertical direction during operation of the machine, the combination of electrical detector means incorporating indicating means, said detector means being capable of sensing either shuttle thread breakage or shuttle thread depletion thereby actuating said indicator means said detector means comprising an electrical circuit, said circuit including electric contact means on said shuttle pin means insulated from the rest of the machine and making contact with said shuttle.

2. In an embroidery shuttle assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said contact means comprising contact points on said shuttle pin means and said shuttle.

3. In an embroidery shuttle assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said circuit includes said shuttle and said shuttle guide as conductive elements and circuit breaker means connected in series with said shuttle pin means, said circuit breaker means being opened during travel of the shuttle in the upward direction and closed during the travel of the shuttle pin means in the opposite direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,127,182 8/1938 McCaleb et a1. 139371 X 2,647,482 8/1953 Campbell 112-218 2,984,265 5/1961 Dupre 139-371 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. R. GUEST, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN EMBROIDERY SHUTTLE ASSEMBLY OF A TEXTILE MACHINE HAVING A SHUTTLE, SAID SHUTTLE SUPPLYING THREAD, SHUTTLE GUIDE MEANS FOR SAID SHUTTLE, SHUTTLE PIN MEANS RECIPROCATING SAID SHUTTLE IN SAID SHUTTLE GUIDE MEANS IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION DURING OPERATION OF THE MACHINE, THE COMBINATION OF ELECTRICAL DETECTOR MEANS INCORPORATING INDICATING MEANS, SAID DETECTOR MEANS BEING CAPABLE OF SENSING EITHER SHUTTLE THREAD BREAKAGE OR SHUTTLE THREAD DEPLETION THEREBY ACTUATING SAID INDICATOR MEANS SAID DETECTOR MEANS COMPRISING AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, SAID CIRCUIT INCLUDING ELECTRIC CONTACT MEANS ON SAID SHUTTLE PIN MEANS INSULATED FROM THE REST OF THE MACHINE AND MAKING CONTACT WITH SAID SHUTTLE. 